The pop-punk musicians Levi Zadoff and Dead Hendrix released a new project via The Walking Dead in June titled Dead Summer. The EP shows the symbolic death of summer during COVID lockdown, as well as the loss of friends and family due to the virus and drug abuse, which has been made worse by the global pandemic.
They mix satire with sass, irony with infectiousness, the profound with the profane, and fun with feeling. Written as the music was through the tough years of lockdown and isolation, the EP comes across as a virtual and spiritual road trip through the COVID years, stopping off at every thought and feeling, every stress and anxiety that society conjured along the way.
The opener, “Dont Think It Could Get Much Better,” has sarcasm oozing from every musical pore. It is gently anthemic, in a pop-punk sort of way, a genre that shapes the sound throughout, but it also takes in everything from skittering trap percussion to real foot-on-the-monitor rock and roll grooves.
“Alone”, as the name suggests, sees the two artists putting their spin on the concept of loneliness and detachment, and “Cant Be God” wrestles with the realization that there is so much in your life that is out of control. “Love Game” pushes the pop-punk influences aside and replaces them with a more underground garage rock vibe, again, one that wanders more urban beat sounds along the way. And as a bonus, the last song makes a clever reference to the slacker anthem by Wheatus with the same name.
Both Dead Hendrix and Levi Zadoff have been steadily building momentum in their careers, but it feels as if, with this collaboration, they have found the faster track. It is not only a great collection of songs; it feels more than the sum of its parts. The two artists might be great as individual creators. Together, they are devastatingly effective.
—— Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7v9FFhJrHoLLDiuNOIXy1H?si=vCrWap8nS8S6zM4iOJHFpg
Levi Zadoff Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/levizadoff
Levi Zadoff Website: https://www.levizadoffmusic.com/
Dead Hendrix Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/talk2thedead
Dead Hendrix Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/talk2thedeadd
